Shuttle checking means



c. D. BROWN 2,111,962

SHUTTLE CHECKING MEANS Filed July 5l, 1957 55# 1 ViA-YRA: 6

ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 22, 1938 iiid SHUTTLE CHECKUNG MEANS Carl D. Brown, lopedale, Mass., assigner to Draper Corporation, l-lopedale, ll/ass., a corporation of Maine Application .lilly 3l, i937, Serial No. 156,729

9 oiaims.

The present invention pertains to shuttle boxes for fly shuttle looms and has more particular reference to the shuttle checking instrumentalities thereof.

In fly shuttle looms, the shuttle is picked. into l and out of a shuttle box at the end of the lay, and the shuttle box is provided with means for stopping or checking the shuttle when the latter enters the box. In such looms, as heretofore l0 constructed commercially, the shuttle box has included spaced box plates or walls and the shuttle checking means has generally consisted of a binder which was plvotally mounted. in one Wall of the Vshuttle box and which checks the shuttle by frictional engagement with the side thereof. The final stopping position of the shuttle in the shuttle boxwas commonly determined by engagement ofthe shuttle with the picker.

The prior construction just Vdescribed has given reasonable satisfaction when used in looms operating at moderatespeeds, but has proven to be unsatisfactory for the higher loom and shuttle speeds now required. It is found particularly that at these higher speeds proper boxing of the shuttle can not be effected by the usual binder and picker unless the parts are frequently and accurately adjusted. Furthermore, the increased friction necessary to stop the rapidly moving shuttle results in abnormal wear of the shuttle,

binder and shuttle box walls as well as of the picker.

It has been proposed to improve the above mentioned prior construction by providing the shuttle box with positive stops for engaging the tapered outer end of the shuttle, andto thereby lessen the friction required of the binder and shuttle box walls and to entirely remove from the picker any shuttle stopping or positioning function. Prior proposed constructions of this nature have not been satisfactory and have not been used commercially, principally because such stops when rigidly mounted cause rebounding of the shuttle and, when mounted so as to yield longitudinally of the shuttle box, do not accurately position the shuttle.

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a loom shuttle box having front and back box plates and a binder as aforesaid, and shuttle stop means engaging the sides ofv the tapered outer end of the shuttle which stop means shall be so constructed and mounted as to accurately position the shuttle in the shuttle box and which shall grip the shuttle to prevent its rebounding, thereby satisfactorily chefking .55 the shuttle at comparatively high speeds.

(Cl. 13S-185) A. further object of the invention is to provide a shuttle box having outwardly converging stops for the purpose aforesaid, wherein one of said stops is mounted'on the binder and the other is yieidingly mounted on the opposite box plate for "5 movement laterally of the shuttle box, whereby said stops grip the outer end of the shuttle and prevent` its rebounding.

` A still further object of the invention is to provide a box plate and binder having shuttle 10` engaging stops as aforesaid and which may be applied to existing loomsl to convert them to looms of the present invention.

The foregoing and other objects of the inventionrare conveniently accomplished in the conl5 struction illustrated onv the accompanying drawing, of which: i

Fig. l is a plan view of a shuttle box comprising the preferred embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2.is a longitudinal sectional view of the 20 preferred binder;

Fig. 3 is asimilar view Yof the preferred box plate; and Y Fig. 4 is a view in crosssection taken approximately on line l-- of Fig. l. 25

The drawing shows but part of a loom having my invention applied thereto, the parts not Y shown being of any suitable usual construction except that another shuttle box at the other side of the loom, not known, may be substan- 3() tially like the shuttle box which is shown and hereinafter described. The lay beam shown at i is mounted on swords, as sword 2, for reciprocation toward and from the front oftheV loom in the usual manner. A shuttle 3 is picked 35 along the lay, from side to side of the loom, by suitable picking means such as picker stick l having a picker 5 at its upper end. At the end of its Hight, i. e. at the outer end of the lay at each side of the loom, the shuttle is received and checked in a shuttle box constructed in accordance with my invention.

The drawing shows only one shuttle box, at the right hand end of the lay beam l. The bottom of the shuttle box shown is formed by the usual metal lay end 6 which is fixed to the top of the lay beam l. The shuttle box also in cludes front and back box plates 'l and t, respectively, and a binder Si. The front box plate 1 50 comprises an elongated body, preferably of cast iron, adapted to be fixed to the lay beam l as by bolts ld, i@ passing through slots Il, I! formed in the box plate, The front box plate l .has at one side thereof a substantially plane v shuttle engaging surface, which may be the usual leather lining I2.

The back box plate 8 may include a part fixed to the sword 2, as by a screw I3, said part having a shuttle engaging and guiding surface |4 and a top plate I5. As shown, a part I6 is connected to the first mentioned part of the back box plate, and the outer end of the part I6 is fastened to the lay by a bolt |1. The shuttle engaging surfaces I2 and I4 are spaced apart slightly more than the width of the shuttle. The shuttle box shown is of the so-called back binder type in that the binder is mounted so that its shuttle engaging surface I8 is substantially in alignment with the surface I4 of the back box plate 8, although the invention is not limited to the back binder type of shuttle box.

The binder 9 comprises an elongated body which is pivotally mounted on the lay, and to this end the outer end of the binder is provided with an aperture I9 by which the binder is pivoted on the bolt I1. Any suitable usual spring means, not shown, may yieldingly urge the inner or left hand end of the binder forwardly, the limit of forward movement of the binder being determined by engagement of an extension 2D on the binder with the back side of the back box plate.

It will be apparent that as the shuttle 3 enters the shuttle box it will be frictionally engaged by the surface I8 on the binder 9 and will also be forced forwardly by the binder, into frictional engagement with the surface I2 of the front box plate 1. It was this frictional engagement, plus impact of the shuttle with the picker 5, that was previously depended upon to effect the stopping of the incoming shuttle. The present invention provides additional shuttle stopping means, to be hereinafter described, and in the embodiment shown the binder and box plates are adjusted to exert materially less frictional force on the shuttle than was heretofore required.

The additional shuttle stopping means above mentioned preferably includes a pair of stop members 2| and 22 which are positioned adjacent the outer end of the shuttle box and which are provided with outwardly converging shuttle engaging surfaces 23 and 24 shaped to fit against the sides of the usual tapered outer end 25 of the shuttle 3. In the embodiment shown, the member 2| is mounted on the binder 9 and the member 22 is mounted on the opposite box plate, which is the front box plate 1.

The binder 9 is recessed at 26 adjacent the outer end of the shuttle engaging surface I8, which is adjacent the outer pivoted end of the binder. The recess 26 is longer than the member 2|. A longitudinal slot 21 extends through the binder from the bottom of recess 26 to the other side of the binder. The member 2| is position-ed in the recess 26 and a portion 28 of the member projects out of the recess. The surface 23 on this projecting portion inclines outwardly and laterally at the proper angle to the surface I8 to fit against the back side of the tapered end 25 of the shuttle. A fastening device such as bolt 29 passes through the member 2| and the slot 21 for securing the member in the recess 26, the member being adjustable in the rec-ess longitudinally of the binder, to properly align with the stop member 22.

The front bx plate 1 comprises an elongated body adapted to be attached to the loom lay as above described and the shuttle stop member 22 is yieldingly mounted on and guided by the body for movement laterally thereof. As shown, a recess 30 extends laterally into the box plate 1 at the outer end of the shuttle engaging surface I2. The member 22 is slidably mounted in this recess for movement laterally of the box plate, and a portion 3| of the member 22 projects laterally out of the recess. The surface 24 is formed on this projecting portion 3| and is shaped to it against the front side of the tapered outer end 25 of the shuttle. Suitable stop means, such as shoulders 32, 32 at the mouth of the recess, limit the extent to which th-e member 22 projects from the recess 30.

A resilient cushion 33 is positioned in the recess 30, between the member 22 and the bottom of the recess. The particular cushion shown consists of a rubber pad of the required thickness and resiliency. The purpose of the cushion 33 is to yieldingly urge the member 22 into engagement with the stops 32, and to yieldingly resist lateral movement of the member 22 by the shuttle. Means for compressing the cushion 33 may consist of an adjusting screw 34 which is threaded into the box plate 1 and which acts on the cushion through the medium of a metal plate 35. The plate 35 is loosely positioned in the recess 39 in front of the cushion 33 and the inner end of the plate is curved at 36 to bear on the bottom of the recess and serve as a fulcrum. The screw 34 bears against the plate near the outer edge thereof and forces the plate rearwardly against the cushion. Adjustment of the screw 34 will, of course, vary the action of the cushion 33 on the member 22.

The binder 9 being yieldable rearwardly and the stop member 22 being yieldable forwardly, the

members 2| and 22 can be separated, or moved laterally of the shuttle box away from each other, when struck by the incoming shuttle. In the operation of the device, when the incoming shuttle enters the shuttle box it will be engaged and frictionally retarded by the surface I8 of the binder and surface I2 of the front box plate. The retarding action of these friction surfaces of the binder and box plate need not be great enough to completely stop the shuttle, and the latter ,5

will exert a gripping action on the outer end of the shuttle and thus prevent the shuttle from rebounding.

The embodiment of the invention herein disclosed is found in actual operation to satisfactorily check and position the shuttle at higher loom speeds than have been considered practical heretofore. This desirable result is further accompanied by a substantial decrease in the wear on the binder, box plate, shuttle and picker.

The oppositely disposed shuttle stop members 2| and 22 are preferably positioned to be simultaneously engaged by the incoming shuttle, so that the members cooperate with each other in keeping the shuttle straight in the shuttle box. I accordingly prefer to employ both stop members. l contemplate, however, that in some instances either of the stop members may be used without the other, particularly on looms not operating at very high speeds. It is also noted that the binder S and box plate I may be so constructed that they can be substituted for prior binders and box plates on existing looms to thereby incorporate the present invention in such looms. The binder and box plate accordingly constitute marketable articles of manufacture.

Having fully disclosed the preferred embodiment of my invention, I claim:

l. In a fly shuttle loom, a lay having a shuttle box comprising front and back box plates and a pivoted binder, and a pair of stops having outwardly converging surfaces respectively engaging opposite sides of the tapered outer end of a shuttle for limiting outward movement of the shuttle, one of said stops being mounted on said binder and the -other being yieldingly mounted on the opposite box plate and adapted to yield laterally of the shuttle box when struck by the incoming shuttle, whereby said stops exert a gripping action on said end of the shuttle and prevent its rebounding.

2. In a ily shuttle loom, a lay having a shuttle box comprising fixed front and back box plates each of which is provided with a shuttle engaging surface, a binder pivotally mounted on the lay and having a shuttle engaging surface substantially in alignment with the shuttle engaging surface of one of said box plates, and a pair of stops positioned adjacent the outer end of the shuttle box and having outwardly converging surfaces respectively engaging opposite sides of the tapered outer end of a shuttle in said shuttle box, one of said stops being fixed to said binder and the other being yieldingly mounted on the opposite box plate for movement laterally of the shuttle box, said stops limiting outward movement of the shuttle and gripping the same to prevent its rebounding.

3. In a fly shuttle loom, a lay having a shuttle box comprising fixed front and back box plates each of which is provided with a shuttle engaging surface, a binder pivoted at its outer end. for swinging movement laterally of the` shuttle box, and a pair of relatively oppositely yieldable stops for limiting outward movement of the shuttle, said stops having outwardly converging surfaces projecting into the shuttle box adjacent the outer end thereof and respectively engaging opposite sides of the tapered outer end of the shuttle, one of said stops being fixed to said binder adjacent the pivoted end of the latter and the other of said stops being yieldingly mounted on the opposite box plate, whereby said stops grip said end of the boxed shuttle and prevent its rebounding.

4. In a fly shuttle loom,- a lay having a shuttle box comprising front and back box platesk and a binder pivoted at its outer end for swinging movement laterally of the shuttle box, and a pair of relatively oppositely yieldable stops having outwardly converging faces projecting into the shuttle box and respectively engaging opposite sides of the tapered outer end of a shuttle for limiting outward movement of the shuttle, one of said stops being fixed to said binder adjacent the pivoted end of the latter and the other of said stops being yieldingly mounted on the opposite box plate, said stops yielding as aforesaid sufficiently to grip said end of the shuttle and thereby prevent the shuttle from rebounding.

5. A loom binder comprising an elongated body having a longitudinal shuttle engaging surface on one side thereof for frictionally engaging one side wall of a shuttle, said body having a recess in said side adjacent the outer end of the binderand a longitudinal slot extending from the bottom of said recess to the other side of the body, a shuttle stop member positioned in said recess and projecting therefrom, said member being adjustable in said recess longitudinally of the binder and the projecting portion of said member having a shuttle engaging surface which extends outwardly and laterally of the binder at the proper angle to the first said surface to t against the side of the usual tapered outer end of a shuttle, and a fastening device passing through said member and said slot for fixing the member in adjusted position in said recess.

6. A box plate for loom shuttle boxes, said box plate comprising an elongated body adapted to be attached to a loom lay, said body having at one side thereof a substantiallyplane shuttle engaging surface and a recess extending laterally into said body at the outer end of said surface, a shuttle stop member slidably mounted in said recess for movement laterally of said body, said member having a portion projecting laterally from said recess and shaped to fit against the side of the usual tapered outer end of a shuttle, stop means on said body engaged by said member for limiting the extent to which the latter projects from said recess, and resilient cushion positioned between said member and the bottom of said recess, said cushion yieldingly urging said member against said stop means.

7. A box plate for loom shuttle boxes, said box plate comprising an elongated body adapted t0 be fixed to a loom lay and having at one side thereof a substantially plane shuttle engaging surface, said body having a recess extending laterally thereof at the outer end of said surface, a shuttle stop member slidably mounted in said recess for movement normal tor said surface, said member having a portion projecting out of said recess and shaped to fit against the side of the usual tapered outer end of a shuttle, a resilient cushion positioned between said member and the bottom of said recess for yieldingly resisting movement of said member by a shuttle, and means` carried by said member for compressing said cushion.

8. A box plate for loom shuttle boxes, said box plate comprising an elongated body adapted to be fixed to a loom lay and having at one side lthereof a substantially plane shuttle engaging surface, a shuttle stop member at the outer end of said surface, said member being slidably supported by said body for movement laterally of the body, said member having a portion projecting laterally of the body beyond said surface and shaped to fit against the side of the usual tapered outer end of a shuttle, stop means positioning said member for engagement with a shuttle, a resilient cushion yieldingly urging said member against said stop means, and means carried by said body for compressing said cushion.

V9. A box plate for loom shuttle boxes, said box plate comprising an elongated body adapted to be fixed to a loom lay and having at one side thereof a substantially plane shuttle engaging surface, a shuttle stop member at the outer end of said surface, said member being slidably supported in a recess in said body for movement laterally of the body, said member having a portion projecting from said recess and shaped to fit against the side of the usual tapered outer end of a shuttle, stop means limiting the extent to which said member projects from said recess, a resilient element positioned between said member and the bottom of said recess, and an adjusting screw acting on said element to cause the latter to yieldingly urge said member against said stops.

- CARL D. BROWN. 

